This week I went along to a debate on the economy organised by the Labour Party, an opportunity to hear Chuka set out the business growth plans for a Labour Government.
It was a clear, economically sensible and value driven strategy for wealth creation, a much needed alternative to austerity, which has failed every test for three decades and over three continents.
Stella Creasy talked about the difference our policies would make for those who now have “too much month left at the end of their money “, driving them into ever greater debt, while Pat McFadden , passionate about Britain’s place in Europe, set out why Labour in government would have a very different relationship with the EU and reminded us how the last Labour government provided leadership to a world in turmoil. In other rooms similar debates covered Education and Health, also setting out wide differences between us and this conscienceless coalition.
The results of this election will be more than about who is in government, it will set out who we are as a nation, inward looking, afraid and increasingly unequal or outward looking, confident and increasingly fair.
Since 2010 LFIG has worked with Shadow ministers on policies ranging from freelancing to housing, and procurement to transport, amongst others but all that thought and work will be dead if on May 8th we have another Tory government. The time for policy is over, now it’s about winning votes and seats. We don’t have the vast resources of the Tories, last time they outspent us 3:1, but we have Labour activists who haven’t stopped knocking on doors since 2010. To win we need more people turning out in key seats.
All across the UK as LFIG members we are turning out to campaign in the crucial marginal seats. The other evening I met a member who said it has been years since he had knocked on doors but the urgency of this election had got him moving. Fantastic! I wrote last year about our LFIG visit to Dover when a carful of us all went down to campaign with the amazing Clair Hawkins. We had a great day, we talked to lots of residents, challenged ideas on UKIP and even slipped in a lunch together.
With only 98 days to go before the election we are having more of these days, focused on core must win seats that will make the difference to Cameron or Ed in Number 10, to another 5 years of damage to people’s lives or to a time of rebuilding.
I’ve been spending Saturdays and Sundays in Reading West campaigning with our PPC, Vicky Groulef, the members of the CLP and a myriad of members from surrounding CLPs. For those who haven’t campaigned before there is a lot of support, and really at this stage it is just asking for issues and who they will be voting for.
No one is alone and it is actually fun – after all, we are Labour members and we are all pretty nice to be with. If you want to get out with LFIG people and campaign anywhere in the UK or just share campaign stories from around the regions, please email me, or if you are in the East of England you can go direct to Rachel Burgin who is on the campaign trail there.
93 days – the clock is ticking.
Karen Landles is an LFIG executive member and a behavioural change adviser She tweets @karenlandles